"The Hurt Locker" sweeps BAFTAs

The Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker" swept 3-D blockbuster "Avatar" aside on Sunday at the BAFTA British film awards. The movie won best film and best director among its six prizes, strengthening its chances at the Oscars.

The Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker" swept 3-D blockbuster "Avatar" aside on Sunday at the BAFTA British film awards.

"The Hurt Locker," directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and ex-husband James Cameron's Avatar were both nominated for eight awards at the British Association of Film and Television Arts. The two films also lead the field heading into next month's Oscar Awards with nine nominations each.

The Hurt Locker, whose budget and box office earnings were dwarfed by that of Avatar, is the story of a bomb disposal unit in Iraq. It captures the tension and danger as the team defuses bombs in cars, hidden in the ground, and strapped to innocent civilians. The film swept Avatar aside on Best Film and Bigelow became the first woman to win the best director BAFTA. She said she hoped she would not be the last.

Cameron was in the audience, and Avatar, the biggest box office hit in history, won just two awards -- production design and special visual effects. Bigelow played down talk of rivalry between the former spouses.

Colin Firth got the Best Actor for his performance in "A Single Man".

Also making it a home double in the main acting categories was Carey Mulligan in "An Education".

Best supporting actress went to Mo'Nique for the gritty U.S. production "Precious" and Christoph Waltz won the best supporting actor prize for his chilling turn as a Nazi in Quentin Tarantino's riotous "Inglourious Basterds."

Kristen Stewart won the Orange Rising Star prize, which is decided by the British public. The prison thriller "A Prophet" topped the foreign film category.